How to convert a Data ONTAP node from one operating Mode to the other
Description
This article describes the procedure that should be followed to convert the operation of a storage
controller from 7-Mode to Cluster-Mode or from Cluster-Mode to 7-Mode.
Note: Data ONTAP 7-Mode and Clustered Data ONTAP licenses are different. Please contact your sales
team to obtain new licenses.
Warning: On-disk data is not preserved when using this procedure. All data will be lost.
Procedure
Prerequisites:
The controller must have attached disk shelves.
The disk shelves must be HA-cabled across the HA-pair (multipath HA cabling is recommended).
This procedure will work for a single node as well, that is not part of an HA pair.
Refer to the System Configuration Guides for the version and Mode of Data ONTAP that you will be
using to ensure the hardware and slots used are supported.
There must be a bootable image on the boot device.
If converting from Cluster-Mode to 7-Mode, the node(s) of the Cluster-Mode must be unjoined from the
cluster if the cluster remains active and only a node or HA-Pair will be converted to 7-Mode
Data on the attached disk shelves is not critical and can be recovered from an alternate source, if needed
Note: All Data will be lost when following this procedure to convert from one Mode to the other.
If Data ONTAP 8.x is not on the boot device or new shelves are added as part of this process, see article
1010549: How to build a Data ONTAP 8.x system from the beginning.
Perform the following steps to convert from Data ONTAP 7-Mode to Data ONTAP 8.0X Cluster-Mode
Disable 'Cluster Failover' and reboot the node to the LOADER prompt. Do not perform a takeover.
Boot each node to the LOADER prompt and ensure that the following variables are set:
To convert from 7-Mode to Cluster-Mode:
LOADER> set-defaults
LOADER> setenv bootarg.init.boot_clustered true
LOADER> setenv bootarg.bsdportname <node-mgmt_port_name>
Boot the node with this command:
boot_ontap
When the nodes are booting, press CTRL+C to enter the Boot menu.
At the Boot menu, select wipeconfig on each node.
*******************************
* Press Ctrl-C for Boot Menu. *
*******************************
How would you like to continue booting?
(normal) Normally
(install) Install new software first
(password [user]) Change root/user password
(setup) Run setup first
(init) Initialize disks and create flexvol
(maint) Boot into maintenance mode
(syncflash) Update flash from backup config
(reboot) Reboot node
Please make a selection: wipeconfig
After the wipeconfig completes, boot back to the Boot menu and select setup.
*******************************
* Press Ctrl-C for Boot Menu. *
*******************************
How would you like to continue booting?
(normal) Normally
(install) Install new software first
(password [user]) Change root/user password
(setup) Run setup first
(init) Initialize disks and create flexvol
(maint) Boot into maintenance mode
(syncflash) Update flash from backup config
(reboot) Reboot node
Please make a selection: setup
Enter the node configuration information for each node during the setup script.
Hostname
Location
IP address for mgmt LIF on the mgmt port/Netmask/DefaultGwy
DNS domain name/DNS nameserver IP(s)
After the setup script completes, boot back to the Boot menu and select init.
*******************************
* Press Ctrl-C for Boot Menu. *
*******************************
How would you like to continue booting?
(normal) Normally
(install) Install new software first
(password [user]) Change root/user password
(setup) Run setup first
(init) Initialize disks and create flexvol
(maint) Boot into maintenance mode
(syncflash) Update flash from backup config
(reboot) Reboot node
Please make a selection: init
The init process can take a long time (hours depending on the number and size of the disks) as the disks
are zeroed and initialized.
Once the init process has completed, the node will boot Data ONTAP and the login prompt will be
available.
At this time, a new Cluster can be created or these nodes can be joined to an already existing cluster. The
steps for creating or joining a cluster are available in the Data ONTAP Administration guides.
Perform the following steps to convert from Data ONTAP 7-Mode to Data ONTAP 8.1 (and later
versions) Cluster-Mode
Disable 'Storage Failover' or 'Cluster Failover' and reboot the node to the LOADER prompt. Do not
perform a takeover.
At the LOADER prompt, run the following commands:
To convert from 7-Mode to Cluster-Mode:
LOADER> set-defaults
LOADER> setenv bootarg.init.boot_clustered true
LOADER> setenv bootarg.bsdportname <node-mgmt_port_name>
LOADER> boot_ontap
Stop the boot process at the special Boot menu and select option 4.
The node automatically performs a wipeconfig, zeroes the disks and creates a 3-disk root aggregate with a
FlexVol root volume.
Perform the node setup.
Perform the following steps to convert from Data ONTAP Cluster-Mode to Data ONTAP 7-Mode
Disable 'Storage Failover' and reboot the node to the LOADER prompt. Do not perform a takeover.
At the LOADER prompt, run the following commands:
To convert from Cluster-Mode to 7-Mode:
LOADER> set-defaults
LOADER> boot_ontap
Stop the boot process at the special Boot menu and select option 4.
The node automatically performs a wipeconfig, zeroes the disks and creates a 3-disk root aggregate with a
FlexVol root volume.
Perform the node setup.